VOLUME 2: INTERMISSION – THOUSAND LI TO THE NORTH, EMBRACE THE DAWN I (1/2)
Status
Name Gi Go Amatsuki
Race Goblin
Level 2
Cla.s.s Duke; Wandering Swordsman
Possessed Skills Sword Mastery A-; Purple Flash; Forsake; Sense; A Master Swordsman"s Proof; Silent Nature; Veteran
Divine Protection Sword G.o.d
Attributes None
Abnormal Status Sworn to Spare; Sword G.o.d"s Control
The yugushiva’s dance-like attack left Gi Go on the defensive. He wanted to attack, but the snow was just too great of an enemy. The snow reached up his knees, and every time he tried to step in, the snow would sap as much force as he pushed in, dulling his movements.
It was difficult to attack.
“Mr. Gi Go!”
As far as Yoshu was concerned, nothing had changed. Even if there was snow and even if the enemy fought remarkably well like dancing, all he had to do was to put out his shield as usual.
“Don’t… interfere!” Gi Go said.
Despite being pushed back, Gi Go did not look anxious, if anything, he looked happy. The yugushiva jumped from the snow as the wind fluttered its white overcoat, stirring up the snow before rushing for Gi Go.
The yugushiva was like a carnivorous bird fluttering in the vast sky as it looked for an opening and bolted for it.
The yugushiva’s curved sword that was as big as it cut through the clouds of snow as it struck out toward Gi Go.
In response, Gi Go swept away the snow by his feet.
Gi Go could not match the enemy in speed, so he decided to wait for the enemy and exchange blows.
The light of the fire G.o.d’s body reflected off his curved sword.
“Come!” Gi Go said.
Gi Go lowered his hips and positioned his sword horizontally as he took on a stance that hid his curved sword from the enemy.
A powerful aura emanated from Gi Go. It was so powerful that Yoshu couldn’t help but gulp as he watched.
If this were a normal monster fighting him, it would surely run from his terrifying aura.
But the yugushiva Gi Go was facing did not falter in the slightest. In fact, the yugushiva gave a battle cry as it ran even faster.
“RUuoAAaaI!!”
When the yugushiva was about 10 steps away, it swung his curved sword again, concealing both its and Gi Go’s figures.
“Tch!?” Yoshu snapped his tongue.
He knew that the snow was the enemy’s ally, so he quickly looked for Gi Go to run where he was.
Yoshu was reminded again of how foolish it was to fight this demon here. The snow was their home ground, and it was precisely because they were unparalleled on it that they came to be known as yugushiva, which literally meant snow demon.
“Naive. Too naive,” Yoshu spat as he cursed his own naivety.
Before Yoshu could find Gi Go, however, the yugushiva jumped out of the snow, then sounds of swords clashing filled the area.
Not long after, the yugushiva jumped back again, and Gi Go’s figure appeared shortly after he brushed away the snow.
Fortunately, he was still safe. Yoshu heaved a sigh of relief.
“Mr. Gi Go! Let’s withdraw! The odds are far too against us!”
They should run while they still could.
“Retreat? Yoshu, the very purpose of this trip is right before our eyes! How could I run!?”
Gi Go wanted to find a worthy adversary and suppress the sword G.o.d within, then he would stand before the king once more.
“But!” Yoshu wanted to say that the enemy was too strong, but Gi Go only shook his head, his gaze never leaving the enemy before him.
When Gi Go clashed with this enemy awhile ago, the enemy swung its sword three times. When Gi Go thought back on how he planned to exchange blows, he couldn’t help but deride himself. The enemy’s sword was far faster and far sharper than he could have ever imagined.
Because of that Gi Go could only defend against two of the three strikes, while the third managed to graze his arm, leaving behind a trail of blood.
“Speak no further! I have all that I’ve asked for! A strong enemy, a worthy foe!”
Gi Go did not spare a glance on the blood drizzling down his arm. He only grit his teeth as he exhaled a faint breath, focusing his mind on the sword G.o.d sleeping within.
Yoshu was at a loss.
The pressure Gi Go was emanating seemed even greater than before, but that might’ve only been his imagination. He wasn’t sure.
Regardless, he needed to make up his mind. Should he let Gi Go fight? Or should he forcefully stop him?
Gi Go was certainly fighting better today than ever, but despite that… When Yoshu looked to the yugushiva, he couldn’t help but feel anxious.
The yugushiva bolted off again.
It’s too dangerous!
The aura emanating from the yugushiva was abnormal. It felt sharp like a drawn sword. As a battle slave, Yoshu has clashed against countless enemies, from humans to monsters, and yet never before has he met someone who possessed an aura as terrifying as this.
“If I don’t make a decision soon, I won’t able to anymore,” Yoshu said to himself.
In the worst case, he would have to stop Gi Go against his will. Yoshu braced himself to throw the throwing dagger hidden behind his shield.
He can’t let him die here. He couldn’t die here either. Both he and Gi Go had a place they had to return to.
Yoshu apologized to Gi Go in his heart as he eyed the Yugushiva.
The yugushiva was running around Gi Go, but just a little, he glanced at Yoshu. It was just for a moment, but the yugushiva was clearly aware of Yoshu as he ran in zigzag toward Gi Go.
When Yoshu saw that, he clicked his tongue and approached him.
The agile yugushiva moved around as if to avert Yoshu’s aim. It would not be easy to hit him.
Meanwhile, Gi Go seemed to have closed his eyes even as the yugushiva approached.
The atmosphere was tense, so tense that Yoshu forgot to breathe as he watched the enemy near Gi Go.
But then… the moment the yugushiva came into Gi Go’s range, like an oil spring lit, Gi Go erupted, bellowing out a powerful howl.
“GURUUuaAAAA!”
“RUuuaAAAIi!”
The yugushiva bellowed back against Gi Go as he swung down his curved sword.
Sparks erupted as two curved swords and two spirits clashed. Gi Go’s curved sword that was hidden behind him pierced through the stirred up snow, parrying the yugushiva’s curved sword up above his head. At the same time, the yugushiva stepped into the snow and brought its deflected sword back down onto Gi Go’s head.
But Gi Go had already taken back his sword, allowing him to block the yugushiva’s slash. The experience Gi Go had acc.u.mulated until now was responding to the standards of the sword G.o.d.
From defense Gi Go smoothly moved to offense. After having blocked the enemy’s sword, the enemy had gotten much slower, allowing him to ignore it as he held his curved sword in a reverse grip and swung it at the enemy’s neck. There should have been no room to escape to, but the enemy went beyond Gi Go’s expectations.
The enemy quickly took back its sword with a sharpness and speed that excelled that of Gowen’s, allowing it to deflect Gi Go’s attack, then this time, it struck out its sword for Gi Go’s neck.
The battle continued like this with both swordsmen dancing at the edge of death.
Gi Go and the yugushiva clashed swords over 20 times.
Until now Yoshu has never before seen anyone fight this long while standing point blank each other.
Consequently, because they were so close to each other, Yoshu couldn’t find the opportunity to throw his dagger. He wanted to create an opening, but even that didn’t seem possible.
When the dance finally ended, it was because the yugushiva jumped back.
Gi Go and the yugushiva had clashed swords at least 20 times, and though they were unable to land a fatal wound on each other, both parties were covered in small wounds.
Gi Go and the yugushiva gasped for breath, a cloud of white leaving their mouth as it faded behind them.
Yoshu was relieved to see Gi Go safe, and when he noted that the yugushiva was breathing heavily, he thought that the opportunity had finally come.
“Forgive me, Mr. Gi Go!”
As Yoshu uttered an apology, he threw away his shield and threw five daggers at the yugushiva.
“Yoshu!” Gi Go reprimanded Yoshu, but he could not stop him.
When the yugushiva noticed that an attack was coming, it tried to run away, but unfortunately, the snow had grasped its legs, leaving it unable to run.
Sensing that the yugushiva was panicking, Yoshu threw 5 more daggers. The yugushiva was tired, he had to strike now! He thought.
The yugushiva wasn’t so soft as to lose to a long-ranged attack, however. Though the yugushiva had lost its posture, it still managed to recover in time and jump away, sweeping away the incoming daggers with a swing of its sword.
The yugushiva jumped back to get away from Yoshu, but when it landed its body shook. The yugushiva seemed to be in some sort of pain, but that was all the more reason for Yoshu to strike.
The yugushiva used its curved sword as a cane to keep its body up, letting it swing its sword again to deflect the wave of daggers, but one dagger still managed to graze its legs, causing blood to spurt.
Now bleeding, the yugushiva’s strength gradually drained.
After having to dodge five more daggers, the yugushiva’s body shook as it relied on its sword as a cane. Its former strength was no longer there.
“You’re too dangerous! You have to die!” Yoshu yelled as he threw one last set of daggers.
But just when he thought the enemy couldn’t possibly dodge anymore, a sword swung, deflecting his thrown daggers.
The one who swung, however, was not the yugushiva, but Gi Go.
“Mr. Gi Go!? What are you—!?” Yoshu asked.
“Yoshu, that’s enough!” Gi Go rebuked.
Gi Go could not deflect all of Yoshu’s daggers while protecting the yugushiva, so he ended up getting hurt in the process.
“Nu…” Gi Go kept himself from groaning out in pain as he took out the daggers and threw them on the ground.
“That person is too dangerous!” Yoshu argued as he pushed away the snow and ran up to Gi Go.
But Gi Go didn’t say anything and just looked toward the yugushiva.
“…If I let a female die, I wouldn’t have any face left to show the king,” Gi Go said.
“…Huh?” Yoshu asked.
When he looked at the yugushiva lying on the ground, it turned out to be a young woman.
VOLUME 2: INTERMISSION – THOUSAND LI TO THE NORTH, EMBRACE THE DAWN I (2/2)
Status
Name Gi Go Amatsuki
Race Goblin
Level 2
Cla.s.s Duke; Wandering Swordsman
Possessed Skills Sword Mastery A-; Purple Flash; Forsake; Sense; A Master Swordsman"s Proof; Silent Nature; Veteran
Divine Protection Sword G.o.d
Attributes None
Abnormal Status Sworn to Spare; Sword G.o.d"s Control
Gi Go carried the yugushiva to the cave he and Yoshu stayed at before, then he had Yoshu begrudgingly treat the yugushiva. When he thought to step out for a walk, he came back with a snow lizard.
Gi Go proposed to take care of supper in hopes of quelling Yoshu’s dissatisfaction.
“I tied her up well, so…” Yoshu said.
When Gi Go followed Yoshu’s gaze to the yugushiva, he noted that the yugushiva had herbs and bandages properly applied on her. Yoshu had even prepared a proper place for her to rest, including a blanket. As far as ‘tied up’ went, Yoshu only tied up her hands with a rope.
“You’re surprisingly kind,” Gi Go remarked.
Yoshu sneered back. “She’s unarmed and there’s two of us, so I figured she wasn’t much of a threat anymore.”
Yoshu filled a pot with water and placed it atop the fire, then he took the snow lizard from Gi Go’s hands and started preparing their supper.
One side of Gi Go’s face lifted up as he faintly smiled.
His gaze was turned to the curved sword the yugushiva woman had used. It was not something suited for the slender hands of a woman.
Gradually, the time of the fire G.o.d neared its end, and the hour of the night G.o.d came.
Whenever night came Yoshu would teach Gi Go how to sing. He would sing once to show Gi Go, then Gi Go would try to mimic it, and Yoshu would point out whenever he made a mistake, then they would start all over again.
The night went on, but tonight the twin G.o.ddess moons showed themselves, weakening the G.o.ddess darkness’ influence. The red moons dyed the snow in its hue as silence filled the north. But in that deathly silence was a soft singing sound resounding from one cave.
“Do you still remember our home land? Oh small winds of the sky, take these feelings with you (kyanmaroodo rinbaa. Raabekastoria, vesjiinichukeruu),” Gi Go sang in a low-pitched voice, causing Yoshu to burst out laughing as he pointed out Gi Go’s errors.
“Your p.r.o.nunciation is a bit off. Listen… Do you still remember our home land? Oh winds of the great sky, take my feelings with you (kyanmaroruudo, riinbaaru. Haabekasutoria, vesjiinichiukeruu),” Yoshu said.
Gi Go nodded and tried again.
Gradually, the tune Gi Go sang became bearable enough to listen to. Yoshu nodded in satisfaction and smiled.
“Not bad. If you keep practicing, you might even become a minstrel one day,” Yoshu said.
“When that time comes, I’ll give your name whenever people asks me for my teacher,” Gi Go said.
“Please don’t. I wouldn’t want to be stoned,” Yoshu teased.
“I wonder what happened?” Gi Go said as he turned his gaze to the sleeping yugushiva and rubbed his chin. “I didn’t think the proud yugushiva would be a female. I wanted to win because I thought I was facing a strong male.”
“I don’t suppose it’s realistic to expect her to lead us to her village either. They don’t seem very friendly, what with attacking us out of the blue like that,” Yoshu said.
Yoshu sighed while Gi Go pondered.
Yoshu never really had much qualms about killing the yugushiva. As a battle slave, gender never really mattered. Whether it was a woman or a man, they would kill them all the same. The thought wouldn’t even cross them, in fact.
Unfortunately, Gi Go had already lost interest. Moreover, from the goblins’ perspective, the females were weak creatures that they had to protect at all costs. Of course, there were exceptions such as Princess Narsa, but they didn’t usually see them as someone to cross swords with.
—Maybe I should torture her after all to make her cough up some useful information.
Yoshu thought to himself as he watched the woman sleep, but then he noticed something unusual.
“Hmm?” Yoshu muttered.
When Yoshu was about to approach the woman, he noticed that her eyes were open wide.
“Rabaiyaru!? Gerunoia!” She cried in the northern language as she tried to sit up. When she realized that her hands were tied, a look of panic washed over her face. Immediately, she pushed aside the blanket and stood up, but a wave of dizziness. .h.i.t her, forcing her back down onto her knees.
“It doesn’t seem to be a cold… But it has to be some sort of illness,” Yoshu remarked as he coldly watched the woman cough.
Yoshu lifted up his shield and glanced at Gi Go, seemingly asking him if they should fight or not, but in response, Gi Go only frowned for a moment before standing up and carelessly walking to the woman.
“Wait, Mr. Gi Go! It’s dangerous! She could bite!” Yoshu said.
“There’s nothing to worry,” Gi Go said.
The woman forcefully stopped her coughing as she growled at Gi Go, who was looking down at her.
It didn’t seem apparent back when they were fighting, but now that they were here in the cave, Gi Go could clearly be seen to be at least two heads bigger than her, her head reaching only up to Gi Go’s neck at most.
Gi Go reached out for the woman, but she ducked it, pa.s.sing by him, only to cough again and stop in her tracks, leaving her defenseless as Gi Go caught her and threw her back into bed.
“Don’t move. You’ll shorten your life,” Gi Go curtly said as he went back to his seat next to Yoshu.
“I thought it was odd back then… I guess she really was sick. A pity, but if not for that, my head probably wouldn’t be attached to my body anymore,” Gi GO said.
The woman watched Gi Go and Yoshu cautiously for a little longer, but after awhile, she lost consciousness and went back to sleep.
Gi Go quietly tucked the woman into bed, ensuring that the blanket warmed her, then he went back to sit next to Yoshu.
“Can you treat her?” Gi Go asked.
“Do I look like a doctor to you?” Yoshu asked back.
He didn’t bother asking what Gi Go would do if he did treat her. After all, Gi Go was simply the kind sort who would surely leave her alone afterwards.
As for Yoshu, he found it difficult to sleep knowing that someone who tried to kill them just moments ago was sleeping nearby, so he decided it would be best to get rid of her as soon as possible. In that way, he might be able to get his peaceful nights back.
“What herbs do you have?” Yoshu asked.
Gi Go showed him his stack, and Yoshu started picking out various herbs.
◆◆◇
Yoshu sifted through various herbs, ground them into powder, mixing them with the evening primrose Gi Go gave him, then he dissolved the powder in hot water.
“This should do,” Yoshu said.
It was a simple mixture he learned from a traveling doctor once upon a time, though he did add some primrose into the original formula.
“Drink up,” Yoshu said as he poured the medicine into the sleeping yugushiva’s mouth.
After he heaved a breath of relief, Gi Go called out to him.
“Can she be saved?” He asked.
“I don’t know, but the most we can do is to help stabilize her condition and then ensure she is fed well,” Yoshu said.
A safe answer so to speak. After that Yoshu moved away from the yugushiva woman.
“I see…” Gi Go said, falling into silence as he pondered for a moment, then he took his sword and headed out. “I”ll go hunt for a bit.”
“Take care,” Yoshu said.
Gi Go nodded, then his figure vanished into the snow field. When he came back he had a bird in his hands.
“Will this do?” Gi Go asked.
“More than,” Yoshu said.
Yoshu quickly prepared the bird, gutting out its innards, then washing it with water from melted snow, then cooking it quickly over fire.
When the bird had charred a little on the surface, Yoshu chopped it and served it with boiled herbs. He placed the yugushiva’s portion next to her.
“I’m sure she’ll eat when she gets hungry. It would be best to eat while hot though,” Yoshu said as he moved away from the yugushiva.
“Shall we?” Yoshu said to Gi Go.
Gi Go nodded, and the two of them began eating.
When night came they left the cave and practiced singing. When they came back the plate they left beside the yugushiva had been licked clean.
Yoshu wryly smiled as he took back the plate. This continued for six more days when the yugushiva was finally able to stand on her own.
“Feeling better?” Gi Go asked.
“…Food, thank you,” the yugushiva woman said in broken speech.
Gi Go and Yoshu glanced at each other at that.
“You know our tongue?” Yoshu asked.
“South, words, a little,” she said.
The yugushiva, who had her silver hair in a ponytail, bowed before Gi Go and Yoshu.
“I have, request,” she said.
“A request?” Yoshu asked.
The woman nodded. “Medicine, give. Save, tribe.”
Gi Go and Yoshu glanced at each other again.
“What miraculous medicine did you give her?” Gi Go asked with visible admiration.
Yoshu honestly shook his head to indicate she must’ve been mistaken. “It was just a simple medicine. You could find it any—”
Suddenly, realization struck Yoshu. He did add an extra ingredient, didn’t he?
“Could it be because of this?” Yoshu muttered to himself as he looked at the yet fresh evening primrose.
“Please, give, save, tribe!” The woman desperately pleaded as she prostrated herself before them, her head touching the ground.
“What do we do?” Yoshu asked.
“Give it. I can’t get sick anyway,” Gi Go reasoned.
“Hmm…”
After thinking for a while, Yoshu took the bag of herbs and gave it to the woman.
“Unfortunately, this is all I have. I’m not sure how big your tribe is, but it probably won’t be enough,” Yoshu said slowly to make it easier for the woman to understand.
A look of despair gradually covered the woman’s face.
“So, how about you take me and Mr. Gi Go to your village, then we could make more medicine there. How about it?” Yoshu suggested.
“Thank, you,” the woman said with much difficulty.
Yoshu wryly smiled.
“Did you catch my tendency for meddling with people?” Gi Go asked.
Yoshu scratched his head. “Umm… do you mind if we go?”
“Nah, let’s,” Gi Go smiled.
Yoshu narrowed his eyes.